The International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC) (see Wikipedia) is a politically independent advisory body which aims to preserve
wild game and hunting. To achieve this goal, the CIC is promoting the sustainable use of wildlife resources.

Mission

The CIC promotes, on a global scale, sustainable hunting as a tool for conservation, while building
on valued traditions.

Vision

A world that values and supports sustainable hunting for the benefit of people and nature.

Promise

The CIC promises to…

− provide advice, stimulate and share knowledge to show sustainable hunting is good for conservation
− build an ever stronger global community of sustainable hunters to share experiences, create alliances and foster interactions among peoples from diverse backgrounds
− promote and lobby the interest of hunters; to make sustainable hunting more visible to the public
− advise hunters on sustainability and conservation
− maintain valued traditions and cultural heritage of hunting

− We share a passion for wildlife and hunting
− We are committed to nature conservation
− Membership consisting of opinion-leaders
− Conservative Values whilstalso being forward-looking, prestigious and social
− Trustworthy and rational

Contributions

− developing and establishing standards, policy, legislation and best practice guides
− supporting applied scientific research, facilitating the dissemination of scientific knowledge
− organizing events and networking, to share experiences about the beauty of nature and the joy of hunting
− promoting culture and traditions derived from hunting

The CIC Today

CIC is recognized by the Austrian Government as an international non-governmental and non-
profit organization, working in the interest of the public. Since 2003, the CIC has its legal seat in
Vienna, the Headquarters of the organization is, since 1999, in Budakeszi, Hungary.

The CIC carries out cross-border cooperation in the form of joint conservation projects, symposia
and other wildlife related activities including at a regional level. Currently such Coordination Fora
exist in the Nordic Countries, the Mediterranean and Central- and Eastern Europe.

The CIC and Hungary

The Hungarian State as the first of the socialist countries to join the CIC in 1966 increased the
level of recognition of the country on the international hunting stage. The CIC played a crucial
role in the organization of the 1971 World Hunting Exhibition, as patron of the event and through
conducting trophy measurements. Pál Vallus, Vice-President at that time, later President of the
CIC, was on the board of the exhibition. The General Assembly of the CIC in 1970 was held in
Budapest. Being involved in the preparations of this global event, the contributions of the CIC
allowed to draw the attention of hunters worldwide. After the political changes in the country
the most important step in the relationship of the CIC and Hungary was the invitation by the
Hungarian Government to move the administrative centre to Budapest. After long negotiations, the
Office moved, in 1999, from Paris to Budakeszi, which was a crucial diplomatic achievement for
Hungary.

The CIC promotes, on a global scale, sustainable hunting as a tool for conservation, while building on valued traditions.

A world that values and supports sustainable hunting for the benefit of people and nature.

CIC’s Membership

The organization is unique in its diversity: it unites 40 states as members,
universities, NGOs as well as private members and scientific experts from 84 countries. Th e Young Opinion group brings together junior members who are less than 35 years old. All
activities are financed by the membership fees, donations and sponsoring.

The CIC increases the number of its partners each year. Our main partners are the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health
(OIE) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), of which the CIC is a member. At different high-level conferences and technical fora the CIC assures that the voices of
hunters who adhere to the principles of sustainable use are heard, together with those of other conservation professionals.

Organizational Structure

This knowledge-based network carries out projects, formulates recommendations and organizes scientific conferences related to specific aspects of wildlife conservation and its use. The activities
of the CIC are streamlined into three Divisions:

– Policy & Law: developing hunting and wildlife management policy and lobbying globally for the sustainable use of wildlife.

The Beginnings

Born from a Central European idea around 1900, the CIC was created in 1928 in Tótmegyer (today its name is Palárikovo and is in Slovakia), following an initiative of the Hungarian Count Louis
Károlyi and Maxime Ducrocq, President of the French St. Hubert Club and their friends. As an international organization from the start, the CIC was registered in Paris in 1930.

During its more than 80 years of existence, the CIC has gained global recognition as an independent advisor in the field of wildlife
resources conservation. In addition to its practical work in the field, it promotes the principle of sustainable use in
international policy development. The CIC achieved major goals in the conservation of endangered species around the
world by supporting species conservation projects, such as the reintroduction of the Thaki Wild Horse (Equus ferus
przewalskii) to Mongolia in 1993 and others such as the Saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica), the Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis
undulata) or the Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus). The CIC has also taken part in habitat conservation and agrienvironmental
projects. The recent achievement of the recognition of falconry as an Intangible World Cultural
Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), was also an initiative started by the CIC.

Károlyi Manor at Palárikovo, Slovakia, today CIC Museum

The meeting of CIC’s Migratory Birds Commission in Brussels in June 1935

The CIC Today

CIC is recognized by the Austrian Government as an international nongovernmental and non-profi t organization, working in the
interest of the public. Since 2003, the CIC has its legal seat in Vienna, the eadquarters of the organization is, since 1999, in Budakeszi, Hungary.
The CIC carries out cross-border cooperation in the form of joint conservation projects, symposia and other wildlife related
activities including at a regional level. Currently such Coordination Fora exist in the Nordic Countries, the Mediterranean and Central- and Eastern Europe.

The offi ce building of the CIC Headquarters in Budakeszi, Hungary

Pál Vallus’s statue in the garden of the office of the CIC Headquarters in

The CIC and Hungary

The Hungarian State as the fi rst of the socialist countries to join the CIC in 1966 increased the level of recognition of the country on the international hunting stage. The CIC played a crucial
role in the organization of the 1971 World Hunting Exhibition, as patron of the event and through conducting trophy measurements. Pál Vallus, Vice-President at that time, later President of the
CIC, was on the board of the exhibition. The General Assembly of the CIC in 1970 was held in Budapest. Being involved in the preparations of this global event, the contributions of the CIC
allowed to draw the attention of hunters worldwide. After the political changes in the country the most important step in the relationship of the CIC and Hungary was the invitation by the
Hungarian Government
to move the administrative centre to Budapest. Aft er long negotiations, the Office moved, in 1999, from Paris to Budakeszi, which was a crucial diplomatic achievement for
Hungary.